Virginia residents can begin shopping for 2027 health insurance plans through the state’s Marketplace on Nov. 1. Those with low to moderate incomes may be able to take advantage of state-funded subsidies this year that will lower monthly premiums.
The deadline to enroll in coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2027, is Dec. 15. Open enrollment continues through Jan. 29, but people who wait until later in the enrollment period may have a gap in coverage at the beginning of the year. During the open enrollment period, Virginians can sign up for a new plan, renew current coverage or switch plans.
Virginia is one of 12 states that appropriated funding to replace a portion of the enhanced federal tax subsidies that Congress allowed to expire at the end of 2025. Those credits had helped lower monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act, or Marketplace, plans for many consumers since 2021.
The Affordable Care Act, enacted in 2010, expanded access to health insurance for people who lack employer-sponsored coverage or cannot otherwise afford insurance. Virginia launched its own health insurance Marketplace in 2023. Since then, more than 573,700 residents have enrolled in coverage through the exchange.
While eligible consumers can still tap the ACA’s original federal tax credits to help reduce the price of insurance, the expiration of the enhanced credits drove up costs for many people in 2026. Consumers’ average out-of-pocket costs for Virginia’s Marketplace premiums rose by about 75% in 2026.
The cost of monthly premiums for young adult single people whose incomes fall between about $22,500 and $28,700 was about $12 for a silver plan with enhanced subsidies. Without enhanced subsidies, the total would be $103 per month, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy, research and health journalism organization.
A silver plan is a middle-tier health insurance plan that covers an average of 70% of healthcare costs, leaving the patient responsible for the remaining 30%
Virginia’s Health Benefit Exchange estimated that about 100,000 Virginians dropped health insurance coverage when premiums rose in 2026.
A first-come, first-served pool of money
For 2027, an estimated 200,000 Virginians could qualify for additional savings through the new state program, according to the Exchange.
The state subsidy program, called Virginia Premium Savings, will help cover premiums for people living with low to moderate incomes, said Deepak Madala, a lawyer with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, in a phone interview.
The program is available to eligible residents whose household incomes fall between 138% and 250% of the federal poverty level. That translates to annual incomes of about $22,000 to $39,900 for an individual and $45,540 to $82,500 for a family of four.
People outside of that income range might still qualify for some federal assistance, but the enhanced federal credits have expired. The state program is limited to eligible plans purchased through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace.
The state allocated $150 million for the Virginia Premium Savings program after lawmakers directed the Exchange to develop a subsidy program that could reduce eligible consumers’ net monthly premiums by as much as 70%, Madala said.
Officials with the state Exchange worked with actuaries to determine that $150 million should cover the need. However, those tax subsidies will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, Madala said.
Madala said he hopes the allocated funding will cover everyone who falls within the income brackets, but he encouraged users to review their plan as early as possible this year.
“There’s no guarantee that $150 million will be enough. Or whether it will be refreshed because there are really big cuts coming, especially for SNAP [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] in the coming year. And then there will be Medicaid cuts,” Madala said. “Those are going to put really big pressures on Virginia’s budget.”
Changes to insurer options in Southwest and Southside
The new state subsidies might not bring premiums down to 2025 levels. Insurance carriers have proposed increased rates for 2027 and indicated in a report to the State Corporation Commission that federal changes continue to have an impact on the market.
Rising premiums, for example, may drive healthier people out of the Marketplace. This leaves insurers with a sicker pool of customers, causing costs to increase across the health insurance market, according to the 2027 rates presentation.
Customers in most Southwest and Southside localities will have two insurance carriers to choose from this year: Sentara and Anthem.
Sentara has historically offered the lowest-cost silver plan in the Marketplace, Madala said. But that could change for 2027 as the company proposes larger rate increases than Anthem. Bronze plans are also available, offering lower premiums, but often out-of-pocket costs for healthcare services are high.
Sentara proposed an average rate increase of 22.7% for 2027, compared with Anthem’s proposed average increase of 7.8%, according to an August presentation to the State Corporation Commission. Sentara’s proposed rate is the highest average increase among carriers, though the exact rate increase a member experiences will depend on location and plan.
The amount customers pay will depend on the plan they choose, their household income and any financial assistance they qualify for.
The August report said insurers proposed increases ranging from 3.9% to 22.7% across Virginia’s marketplace plans, with an average proposed increase of 16.7%. This puts the average baseline premium at about $676 per month before state or federal assistance.
Insurers said in the report that the expiration of federal subsidies, rising healthcare costs and market uncertainty are among the factors causing increased prices.
Aetna left the Marketplace in early 2026, and Cigna plans to leave in 2027, according to the commission’s report. Cigna’s plans have been concentrated primarily in Northern Virginia.
Virginia has not had a new insurer enter the individual market since 2023, the report said.
Consumers also will see a change in how insurers calculate premiums. Virginia no longer allows Marketplace insurers to charge customers more because they use tobacco products.
Sentara applied a tobacco surcharge in 2026 but must remove it for 2027.
“We’re encouraging a lot of people to just go back and take a look at their plan options this year,” Madala said.
How to compare plans and get help
Marketplace health insurance plans generally renew automatically year to year, but experts recommend consumers compare plans every year. Their premiums, provider networks, prescription coverage and financial assistance may change.
Marketplace users can enter their zip code on Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace website to compare plans.
Enroll Virginia, a network of community-based organizations, helps customers find the best health insurance plans for themselves and their families. Enroll Virginia navigators also help customers find the most affordable plans.
